The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

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September 30, 2008

Stabbing victim in critical condition

By Jeff Lehr

jlehr@joplinglobe.com

A 22-year-old Joplin man remained hospitalized in critical condition Tuesday after being stabbed Monday night at the Springview Garden Apartments on West 23rd Street.

Police Cpl. Chuck Niess said officers responding to a report at 11:36 p.m. of a disturbance outside the apartments at 1745 W. 23rd St. found Jeremy A. Diaz on the ground with stab wounds to his torso. A second man found motionless and unconscious on the ground was determined to have been Diaz’s alleged attacker.

Niess said officers learned that a witness to the stabbing had put a choke hold on George W. Todd III, 18, 6505 Douglas Fir Road, when he tried to leave after allegedly stabbing Diaz. The hold caused Todd to lose consciousness until officers arrived.

Diaz, 1806 W. 23rd St., was taken by ambulance to St. John’s Regional Medical Center, where he remained in critical condition late Tuesday afternoon.

Niess said there apparently had been a sort of cookout earlier in the night outside the apartment complex. He said witnesses told police that Todd became intoxicated and began arguing with his girlfriend, Amanda Diaz, 19, who lives at the address, and then threatened her brother, Jeremy Diaz.

Niess said officers recovered a butterfly knife at the scene that is believed to have been used in the stabbing. He said he had no information on how many stab wounds Diaz suffered or to what parts of his torso they were inflicted.

Todd was charged Tuesday with second-degree assault and armed criminal action. Several Neosho city warrants for traffic violations and a misdemeanor charge of drug possession also were served on him. He remained in custody Tuesday night at the Joplin City Jail on bonds totaling about $10,500.

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